Seychelles

Seychelles is a 155-island country (as per the Constitution) spanning an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, whose capital, Victoria, lies some 1,500 kilometres east of mainland Southeast Africa. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west and Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius to the south.

Did you know that:
1. Pirates used to seek the islands of Seychelles as a hideout. It is believed that Olivier Le Vasseur, an infamous pirate, had a treasure worth 100,000 euros that remains hidden in the land up to the present.
2. Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond novels and short stories, named his character Milton Krest after a tonic and ginger beer that he tasted while vacationing in Seychelles.
3. This beautiful country island was home to none until the latter part of the 18th century, when its first settlers arrived.
4. Almost half of the limited landmass in the country is occupied by national parks and reserves. This is in support of the government’s various environment and ecosystems protection and conservation policies.
5. Seychelles is the right place to visit if you want to see unique endemic species. These include the paradise flycatcher, the warbler, the jelly fishtree, and the female Coco de Mer, which is the world’s heaviest nut.
6. The country is home to the heaviest land tortoise that is living in the wild. Named Esmeralda, the animal weighs 304 kilograms and can be found at the Bird Island.
7. In the Ste. Anne Marine National Park, you will find the Moyenne Island, which is believed to be haunted by a spirit that guards a buried treasure.